Folk art is fun again.

by Contributor

The Scene
Matilda's is a magical complex of wildly decorated little cottages that look like they sprang from the imagination of McKenzie-Childs. There are yellow flower boxes, polka dot shutters, checkerboard eaves and twig arbors sprinkled with sparkling lights. Indoors, the effect is no less enchanting, as every surface is cluttered with brightly painted pottery, furniture, fabrics and artwork. First-time visitors walk around with their jaws dropped, while devoted patrons join in the spirit. You might bump into a group of women lunching in the "Hen House," one of the outbuildings, wearing silly party hats.

The Goods
Perhaps it's because owner Mary Jane Potter sticks mostly to local craftspeople and regional up-and-comers rather than nationally recognized artists, but this gift shop/art gallery bears none of the pretension of some intown dealers whose "folk art" has become too rarified for regular folk. This doesn't mean the art is amateurish. To the contrary, artist showings, which change monthly in the two outbuildings, can be very powerful. Potter has a great eye for work that is witty, colorful and fresh.